High-tech salaries in Israel hit record highs despite slow job growth
Sector accounts for 10% of employment, but hiring barely increased in 2024.
The average salary for an employee position in Israel increased by 5.1% in 2024, rising from NIS 12,863 ($3,563) in 2023 to NIS 13,514 ($3,743) in 2024. However, this wage growth has been uneven, with the high-tech sector seeing the most significant increases while other industries lag behind.
High-tech salaries surge while job growth slows
The average salary for an employee position in high-tech rose by 6.8%, from NIS 29,826 ($8,261) in 2023 to NIS 31,858 ($8,824) in 2024. The highest salaries within the sector were recorded in scientific and open research, where the average salary reached NIS 35,877 ($9,939), and in programming, where it stood at NIS 33,395 ($9,251).
Despite these wage gains, job growth in high-tech has remained sluggish. The number of salaried positions in the sector averaged 400,600 in 2024, marking a modest 0.8% increase from 2023 (397,300). High-tech jobs accounted for 10.0% of all salaried positions in the economy, a figure that has remained largely unchanged.
Wage gaps widen as other industries see modest increases
The rapid growth in high-tech wages has further widened income disparities in Israel. While tech salaries saw substantial increases, other key industries experienced only modest wage growth: education rose by 3.5%, commerce by 4.5%, and health and welfare by just 2.6%.
Because National Insurance benefits are linked to the consumer price index rather than wages, their real value has been further eroded. The consumer price index rose by 3.2% in 2024, meaning benefits effectively fell behind wage growth by 2%.
Salary dip in January signals correction after December peak
After reaching an all-time high in December 2024, average salaries fell sharply in January. In December, the average wage hit NIS 14,340 ($3,971), but by January, it had dropped nearly NIS 1,000 to NIS 13,385 ($3,706). This decline suggests that December’s figures were inflated by one-time payments and bonuses rather than a lasting wage increase.
Meanwhile, the number of salaried jobs for Israeli workers remained stable, standing at 4.056 million in January, only slightly down from 4.062 million in December 2024.
